~ Delta Poetry Review ~

She Doesn’t Even Know Who I Am
                       —for R.B.

I had to fall in love with a blues singer.
She sings Memphis Minnie, Ma Rainey.

She also sings Little Walter, Elmore James.
Her voice a steelyard moan of a thousand trains.

I’d love sliding down her moan like a sad train.
She’s leaner than a long train whistle at night.

In the lean night I listen to her long songs.
I’m hopeless lusting after her luscious hair.

I’d tangle me hopeless in her luscious hair.
Oh, blues diva of the dirt-poor Delta fields,

I could roam the dirt-poor Delta fields for you.
I could buy you new shoes for your walking blues.

I don’t need no new shoes for my walking blues.
Why’d I fall in love with a blues singer?

Her Biggest Fan
           –for R.B.

She’s a long highway of a bluesy woman.
Why are you obsessed with women? she asks.

Women aren’t as boring as obsessed hot dogs,
I answer and hope she’ll sing me a gospel.

She’s a walking gospel who sings the blues.
To watch her slide that guitar between her knees,

I’d slide my knees inside my guitar all day.
She’s sixty but looks like a forties’ beauty.

I lied: she’s seventy and looks thirty.
Who says white girls ain’t entitled to the blues?

Man, she can sing the blues white, black, and blue.
She tours all year long and I follow her.

I follow her all year long while she tours,
this long highway of a bluesy woman.

Elvis Produce Man

Kroger produce man says You look like Elvis.
Sure I’ve got the burns the color the eyes,

I burn days away with my eye color.
He was a chill guy the way he fondled beets,

Said he fondled beets because most guys didn’t.
He’d sing to beets: Jailhouse Rock, Don’t Be Cruel

Told me he sang Love Me Tender to his wife
I said, “You like Elvis don’t you? Elvis cool.

Yeah man Don’t Be Cruel You Cool Elvis Cool
Fridays we trade riffs from songs with our guitars

We trade our guitars and sing Elvis songs
His boss says “Get to work,” and tells me to leave

Produce man gets back to work and I leave.
Produce man says, “You shake your hips like Elvis.”